Year 9 Impact Program

Mark Williams, Head of Year 9 Impact Program

Year 9 Walk-a-thon

Lachie Griplas, Year 9 

In the lead-up to our expeditions, all of Year 9 will be walking from Kilvington to Federation Square to raise $5,400 for the Indigenous communities we’ll be visiting as part of our Year 9 expeditions in September. 

To prepare for this long trek, we’ve been walking through the city every Friday, exploring new places and building our fitness. We are raising money through sponsorship and are now just over halfway to our target.

Donations can be made here.

Expedition training walks 

Timothy O’Neill, Year 9

Over the past five weeks, the Year 9s have been preparing for our upcoming expeditions by completing walks around some of Melbourne’s most scenic places each Friday. From the Tan Track and Parkville to Carlton Gardens, Docklands and the Sports Precinct, we’ve enjoyed challenging ourselves, spending time with friends and exploring the city together.

These walks are designed to build our fitness, confidence and connections before we head off on our once-in-a-lifetime camps. Each route is planned as a loop, allowing us to start and finish in the same place, while also experiencing different parts of Melbourne alongside our peers.

Australians Together

Stephanie Verginis, Year 9

On 22 August, Year 9s participated in a workshop hosted by Australians Together, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lived experiences of First Nations people.

The workshop was spread over two weeks. In the first session, we explored cultures and history. We learned that Indigenous cultures are generally structured around five key elements: land, law, ceremony, kinship and language. As part of the session, we engaged in an activity to reflect on and discover our own individual cultures.

We also learned about the impact of the Stolen Generations on Indigenous culture and watched a video featuring real stories from Australia’s history. 

The session highlighted the differing worldviews at the time of colonisation, the experiences of slavery and family separation, and the ongoing intergenerational trauma still experienced by First Nations people today.

MINUS18

Sarah O’Neill, Year 9

We were also fortunate to be visited by MINUS18, a leading youth foundation dedicated to creating safe spaces in schools and workplaces for the LGBTQIA+ community. 

The workshop explored topics such as sex assigned at birth, gender, and sexuality, with each component featuring engaging activities to keep us actively involved.

Throughout the session, we learned what it means to be part of the LGBTQIA+ community and the discrimination that young people in this community often face. We were also taught strategies to support individuals experiencing inequity at school and how to foster a more inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone.

Visit by Pando Society

A huge thank you to Essendon FC’s Andy McGrath for visiting our Year 9s this week.

Andy shared insights from his wellness centre, Pando Society, where health and wellbeing are viewed as deeply connected. Students got hands-on with breathwork and Pilates and learned about the foundations of the Pando Society, which offered inspiration after their own experience creating businesses in the It’s Everyone’s Business Program earlier this year.

Also, congrats to our Year 9 Pando Society Quiz winners who scored a free sauna/plunge session at Pando!